D&D 5E your fist level wizard has used their 2 spells. Now What?

[Blue Orange]

Thank Mystra (or Solinari, or Boccob, or Aureon, or Hecate, or Heka) you're not in 1st ed anymore and chuck some cantrips (Ray of Frost and Fire Bolt are favorites).

 

[Stormonu]

Darts, maybe the classic crossbow. ALWAYS keep a dagger on hand. Not just for fighting, but out-of-combat uses aplenty.

But I do have to ask why you didn't take Chill Touch, Firebolt or Poison Spray as 5E intends.

 

[Undrave]

If you have the Find Familiar spell you can cast it as a ritual (don't forget your rituals!) , get yourself an Owl Familiar and use the super cheesy 'Fly-By Help Action' strategy!

Using Cantrip isn't that bad though.

 

[Jer]

No no, throw darts! Unless you have oil available. Then throw oil.

Cower behind the fighter and once the combat ends beg everyone to camp for the night so you can get your spell slots restored.

The real answer for 5e is to take an attack cantrip or two. Attack cantrips are better than using darts or a crossbow because your puny, clumsy wizard gets to use Int to roll to hit instead of Str or Dex so you can take part in the battles from level 1 instead of acting as comedy relief for 3 levels or so before you become a walking flamethrower.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

your first level... use cantrips and be 3/4 as good as the fighter with 3/4 the HP of the fighter and hope your 2 big spells did something really cool

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Most everyone took my answers:

• spam cantrips all day
• Run and hide!

Help Action is a good option to help the big damage dealers but you have to be adjacent to the creature you're trying to distract.

My preference for a weapon is a cross-bow.

You could always use your action Intimidating your enemies. Every Wizard should take intimidation - or deception.

"Flee, puny mortals! I grow tired of this pitiful game. I have given you a warning with my Magic Missiles, do not make cast Meteor Swarm!"

 

[Dausuul]

In addition to cantrips, don't forget ritual spells. You can cast those all day long (not in combat though). And look for ways to make creative use of skills, both in and out of combat.

Side note: You might want to reconsider using those two spells right now. At mid- to high levels, shield is a powerhouse because it's so cheap to use; it only costs your reaction and a 1st-level slot, of which you have many. But when you only have two spell slots, you can seldom afford to burn one on a single round's worth of defense. (Though, admittedly, with 1st-level wizard hit points being what they are...)

As for magic missile, it's just laying down targeted damage. Its reliability is handy in certain cases, but if all you want to do is pop one guy in the head, you have cantrips for that.

Instead, it's best to use your spell slots on things you can only do with leveled spell slots. At very low levels, sleep is insanely good. Thunderwave offers area damage and pushback, very handy in a pinch. Out of combat, charm person is always a solid pick.

 

[Tonguez]

Run and hide was always Orbril the gnomes first tactic

Nonetheless he was also an alchemist (before alchemist was a seperate class) so had a bandolier and sack full of oil, acid vials, holy water, ball bearings, alchemist fire, tanglefoot bags and antitoxin. Plus Sling stones and a hand crossbow and later bombs, poisons etc

 

[ad_hoc]

Usually level 1 only take half a session to go through.

Level 2 takes 1 session.

Experiencing what it is like to have limited power early will help you appreciate just how powerful you are at 5th level when the game really starts to get going.

 

[lingual]

Getting into the fray with 2 daggers isn't that bad at low levels.